Under the old rules, the first “trade deadline” was never the actual deadline. If you’re seeing peak Justin Verlander, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Donaldson and others change hands in late August, just before the deadline for postseason eligibility — was the non-waiver deadline really a trade “deadline” at all? MLB implemented a more concrete “true” trade deadline that prohibited players on Major League contracts — or any who were on a Major League contract but had been outrighted — from being traded after the deadline. But it turns out that the “true” trade deadline is really only the “true” trade deadline for Major League players! Outright and Release WaiversRevocable trade waivers are no longer a thing, but regular old outright waivers and release waivers are alive and well.